Wenger: We never dropped our focus

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal produced a high-quality performance for the full 90 minutes of their 2-0 win over Sp*rs.

Goals from Shkodran Mustafi and Alexis Sanchez put the Gunners firmly in charge at the break and while chances to extend the lead after the break were squandered, the boss was pleased with the concentration of his players.

“I think we played with purpose, good concentration, the desire to always be efficient and with great solidarity,” he told Arsenal.com afterwards.

“From the first to last minute the quality of our concentration was very high, we never had a minute where we felt that we dropped a little bit of our focus.

“Overall it was a very intense game when you look at the physical performance of the two teams. It’s absolutely through the roof, so that means the with the distances the players produced, it was an immense performance on both sides.”

Having complained about the quality of the refereeing at the Etihad two weeks ago – when Arsenal conceded two goals from controversial decisions – Wenger might have been thankful for the rub of the green this time around.

The boss was having none of it though, dismissing the importance of Shkodran Mustafi being adjudged onside when the linesman might easily have raised his flag.

“Last week we conceded a goal that was not marginally offside, that was a yard offside and that nobody found a word to say.

“I watched the one again and I’m not sure it was offside and it was a foul, so suddenly when we concede the goals it’s absolutely normal, and when we are a yard offside maybe you have to answer that in a press conference.”

Wenger was equally dismissive of the media’s focus on a power shift in north London after a week of questions about Sp*rs’ recent improvement.

“We did not listen as much as you think to the national debate that is among you. We focus, we live inside our own club and we focus what is important for us and people have a perception about us, about the game and we have to live with that. We can only give one answer and it’s always on the football pitch.”